Dust-guard



PATENTED FEB. 2, 1904.

No. 751,306. H. c. LAFFERTY.

DUST GUARD.

.APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 26. 1903.

N0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented February 2, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

DUST-GUARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 751,306, dated February 2, 1904.

Application filed September 26, 1903. Serial No. 174,736. (No model.) v

citizen of the United States of America, re-

siding at* Allegheny, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dust-Guards, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in' dust-guards, and relates more particularly to that class of dustguards employed in connection with the journal-boxes 'of railroad-cars to prevent dust, dirt, or other foreign substance working its way onto the journals of the axle.

The object of the present invention is to provide a dust-guard with a non-combustiblematerial spring held against the neck of the journal, so that in event of any wear in said neck the material will still be held against the same; and a further object of the invention is to simplify the construction of the frame of the guard and at the same time produce a construction capable of withstanding strains against the same. V

Briefly described, the -invention comprises a frame or casing embodying two side plates which have their side edges flanged over and interlocked,each of these plates being pro: vided with an opening with a top-piece or capplate slipped onto the upper ends of said two plates.

Fitted between the two plates in the lower half of the casing thus formed is a sheet of non-combustible material, preferably asbestos, cut out to conform to the opening in the plates and with its upper end projecting into said opening. Fitted to have vertical movement in the upper part of the casing formed by the two plates is a housing which carries a sheet of non-combustible material, preferably asbestos, the lower end of which 'is cut out to receive the journal and which lower end projects beyond the lower end of the housing, so as to engage directly with the journal. Fitted between the upper end of the housing and thecapplate is a spring -which serves to hold the material carried by the housing normally in engagement with the journal.

N All of the above construction will be hereinafter more specifically described, and then particularly pointed out in theclaims, and in describing-the,,invention in detail reference will be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application,and wherein like numerals of reference will be employed for indicating like parts throughout the different views of the drawings, in which Figure 1 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the dust-guard in position in the journal-box, the latter and also a part of the car-wheel being shown. Fig.2 is a detached front elevation of the guard. Fig. 3 is a similar rear elevation. Fig. 4 is an edge view. Fig. 5 is'a transverse vertical sectional view. Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view. Fig. 7 is a detached detail perspective view of the movable housing. Fig. 8 is a like view of the non-combustible sheet carried by said housing, and Fig. 9 is 'a similar view of the non-combustible sheet that is adapted to be secured in the lower half of the casing.

To put my invention into practice, I provide a front plate 1, of suitable sheet metal, and a rear plate 2, of the same material, which latter plate has itsside edges turned at right angles to the plate to form the sides 3, the free edges of said sides being turned over to form the channels with which the turnedover edges of the'plate 1 are interlocked, the turned-over side edges 5 of the front plate being slid into engagement with the turnedover edges 4 of the sides 3.. The plates are provided with registering openings 6 to receive the axle 8, as seen in Fig. 1, and the casing is closed at its lower end by a bottom 7 formed by the bent-over lower end of the rear plate 2, with the lower end of front plate 1 flanged over on said bottom, as shown at 9.

Combined stiffening-straps and wearing-plates 10 may be employed on the faces of the plates, which in practice are riveted only to the plate to which they are attached. I also preferably provide a strap 11, attached to one face of the casing, at the'upper end thereof, by means of which the guard may be readily with drawn from the journal-box 12. In the lower half of the guard is placed a sheet of noncombustible material 14, preferably composed of asbestos, as this material has been found size sufficient to have its upper end project,

into the opening 6 in order to allow for considerable wear of the asbestos sheet before the journal would engage with the walls of the opening 6. In the upper half of the easing is mounted for vertical movement a housing 17, cut away, as at 18, to receive the journal of the axle and in which is rigidly secured by cementing and by riveting or otherwise a non-combustible sheet 19, preferably of ashestos, this sheet 19 having the cut-away portion 20 conforming to the cut-away portion of its housing. Like the sheet 14,this sheet 1 9 is made of sufficient size so that its lower end will protrudc or project beyond the lower end of the housing 17 and upper half of the wall of the opening 6, whereby to engage directly with the journal of the axle. The asbestos sheet carried by this housing is held at all times in engagement with the journal of the axle by means of a spring 21, the bow of which bears against the upper end of the housing and the ends of which engage the upper end of the housing and the ends of which engage the capplate 22. This cap-plate 22 is secured in position by crimping over the edges or upper end of plates 1 and 2 and likewise crimping or flanging over the edges of the cap-plate 22, as seen in Figs. 4 and 5, the cap-plate being slid into position, and after being positioned the ends 23 of this plate are turned down to retain same.

The projection of the edge or ends of the asbestos sheets into the opening in the plates permits same to engage directly with the journal of the axle and permits of the same being worn to a considerable extent before the journal will engage with the plates. Any movement imparted to the journal will tend to raise the upper asbestos plate, the same remaining during such movement in engagement with the journal. The housing 17 is of a size which will permit of a lateral movement of the journal, as well as a verticalmovement to raise the housing.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A dust-guard comprising side plates formed with openings, a sheet of non-combustible material mounted between the plates at the lower ends thereof and occupying the entire space therebetween and having a central opening, said material projecting into the plate-openings, a housing having a cutaway portion, with non-combustible material clamped between the sides of the housing, means for securing the non-combustible materials to the housing and to the said side plates, a cap-plate at the upper end of the side plates with a spring bearing thereagainst and against the upper end of the housing, said cap plate having inturned side flanges for cngagement with the outturned flanges at the upper end of the side plates, the ends of the capplate being bent downwardly to engage the side of the side plates and prevent lateral movement to the cap-plate.

2. A dust guard comprising metal side plates each provided with an opening, a sheet of non-combustible material occupying the entire space between the said plates at the lower ends thereof and having a portion extending within the openings thereof, means for securing the material between the plates, a housing formed of sheet metal doubled over intermediate its ends and provided with a semicircular aperture at its free ends, the sides of said housing being open, a sheet of noncombustible material secured between the ends of the housing, said material projecting into the semicircular aperture of the said ends, a cap-plate mounted on the upper ends of the side plates, and having its ends bent downwardly to engage thesides of the side plates when in its normal position and a spring interposed between the end of the housing and said cap-plate.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HARRY O. LAFFERJY.

Witnesses:

A. M. WILSON, E. E. POTTER. 

